Bangkok Post – New Omicron variant being watched

13 cases of KP strain discovered in Thailand so far show increased capability to grow

Thirteen Covid-19 infections from the new KP strain of the Omicron variant have been found in Thailand, according to the Department of Medical Sciences.

The JN.1 sub-variant and other Omicron sub-variants are still the main ones spreading in Thailand, said Dr Yongyot Thammawut, the department’s director-general.

He said JN.1 also has different mutations, giving it the ability to infect patients, circumvent their immune systems and spread at different levels.

JN.1 (BA.2.86.1.1) is a sub-variant of the BA.2.86 Omicron sub-variant and is currently the most widespread in 116 countries.

Dr Yongyot said the new sub-variants of JN.1, including KP.2, KP.3, KS.1 and KP.1.1, have emerged, with nine KP.2 cases and four KP.3 ones found in Thailand, out of 503 JN.1 cases overall.

These new sub-variants are two times more effective than the common JN.1 variant in terms of their ability to grow, he said.

Two other new Omicron sub-variants — XDK and XDR — which are hybrids of JN.1 and other variants, have also been discovered. However, there is no evidence proving they can cause more severe symptoms.

The doctor said the number of Covid cases has increased in recent weeks, as expected. The start of the new school year this month is forecast to lead to a further upturn, experts say.

He called on people to follow precautions from the Ministry of Public Health, including wearing face masks in crowded places and frequently washing hands.

Assoc Prof Dr Thira Woratanarat, an epidemiology expert at Chulalongkorn, posted a message on Facebook on Friday warning people to use masks.

“Covid-19 is not a common cold. It’s not flu. Each time you get infected, you risk getting severely sick, dying, or getting long Covid, which will impact your ability to live and work,” he wrote.